"DON'T WORRY CHAPPY, THERE'S NO CHANCE OF THAT!" REALLY?
19 April 2011

Hawthorn fan Sasha Lennon of the Footy Almanac reckons Geelong is NO CHANCE to play the Hawks when it counts. Think she's dreaming! Still this is what he had to say, I encourage a rubust debate over at thefootyalmanac.com.au

I read this morning that Geelong star Paul Chapman says he’s still hurting from the 2008 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn, so much so that he has vowed “never again” will the Cats lose to the Hawks on that biggest of days. Well let me be the first one to offer you comfort Chappy – I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much about that!

While the Cats have won their first four games of the season (one better than the Hawks), the doubters remain. The reason is simple – the Cats are doing it, to use an old Hawthorn expression, ‘the hard way’. Geelong and Hawthorn will next meet on the Easter Monday clash at the MCG.

Chappy reckons the Cats are pumped to beat their nemesis and points to Geelong’s four consecutive wins over the Hawks since the 2008 decider to back his confident stance. This may be so, but while the Cats are winning tough matches, they’re doing it in fifth gear and at full pace. The Hawks by comparison are sitting in second, occasionally shifting gear to third or fourth when needed. READ FULL STORY

LAST TIME

CATS COME FROM BEHIND AND HOLD ON AGAINST HAWKS; TOUR DE FRANCE
Ben Jensen (From St Claude, Stage 7 Tour de France) 10 July 2010

GEELONG just held on against auld enemy Hawthorn at the MCG today, delighting this author and caravan who are awaiting to arrival of Cadel Evans and friends just outside St Claude, on Stage 7 of the Tour de France. From the reports we had texted in, the Cats struggled but just kept pace, and in the final quarter snatched the lead and led by 9 points with minutes to go. Hawthorn's dependable Brad Sewell gave us a scare as he reduced the margin to just three points but the Hawks' final shot of the game by Clinton Young only produced a behind, and the Cats hung on. Watch out for a Geelong jumper and Aussie/Scottish flags around 00:26 (Victorian time) tonight, and let us know if you see us. thecattery @ keldar.net (remove the spaces).

GEELONG: 3.3, 5.6, 8.8, 12.13 (85) DEFEATED
HAWTHORN: 4.4, 6.7, 8.14, 11.17 (83)

GOALS
GEELONG: Stokes 4, Chapman 2, Bartel, Podsiadly, Varcoe, Ablett, Byrnes, Podsiadly
HAWTHORN: Franklin 3, Lewis 2, Roughead 2, Ellis, Young, Hodge, Sewell

BEST
GEELONG: Selwood, Ablett, Bartel, Kelly, Ling, Stokes, Wojcinski, Chapman
HAWTHORN: Rioli, Sewell, Franklin, Bateman, Guerra, Birchall

INJURIES
GEELONG: NIL; Corey (knee) replaced in selected side by Hogan
HAWTHORN: NIL

UMPIRES: Chamberlain, 'Billy' Pannell, McInerney

CROWD: 69,220 at MCG, Melbourne